Man, 23, gets 6 months in jail for having sex with 14-year-old

A former Wakeman resident who had consensual sex with a 14-year-old village girl was sentenced to six months behind bars.

James E. Bolden, 23, will receive a reporting date to the Huron County Jail, where he's expected to be on the work-release program. As part of his three years of intense probation, he was fined $1,000 and must undergo sex offender counseling.

Even though Bolden is awaiting sentencing in Lorain County for a passing bad checks conviction, he wasn't eligible for a prison term because the court doesn't consider that case a conviction until the sentence.

Bolden pleaded guilty in early January to one count of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. In a plea agreement, the state dismissed a second, similar charge.

"I know what I did was wrong," said Bolden, who is getting married in June.

"This is a serious offense," Huron County Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer DeLand said. "The victim was rather young; she was only 14 years old."

"From what I've gathered, this was a fully mutual situation," Huron County Public Defender David Longo said. "I don't think she (the victim) suffered any harm or suffered any loss of innocence."

Longo said Bolden would do well under probation.

"He would do anything asked of him," Longo said.

Classified as a Tier II sex offender, Bolden must register his address every 180 days for the next 25 years. If he violates the terms of his probation, he faces 18 months in prison.